Coin controlled device



Fb. 28, 1950 L. A. THATCHER 2,499,121

' COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed June 8, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOiQNEY Feblzs, 1950 L, A. THATCHE'R 2,499,121

COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed June 8, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R N EY Feb. 28, 1950 L. A. THATCHER 2,499,121

COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed June 8, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MAX .Z INVEN L 1 Spa/fer ZBY ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 28, 1950 COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE Linden A. Thatcher, Stamford, Conn, assignor to Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 8, 1944, Serial No. 539,269

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a coin controlled device for use in effecting one or more value settings within the credit limit of the total value of the coin or coins deposited in said device.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide coin control means whereby coins of a plurality of denominations may be used for the purpose of establishing a potential credit while one or more coins remain within the coin control unit, and to further provide means whereby a predetermined part of the coin value may be set up to condition the machine for operation in accordance with said value.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a coin control mechanism which will permit the use of a plurality of coins of differing denominations and to provide planetary differential means whereby value settings may be simultaneously selected from the combined coins while passing through the device.

In the particular art to which the device of this invention is to be applied, namely, postage printing machines, coin control means are now in use in two difierent forms. In one form the value printing wheels are directly set in accordgreater than any credit remaining, after several printing operations, compensating mechanism will control the selection in such manner as to prevent printing of a value greater than the credit remaining. The "mechanism involved in this credit type of machine is intricate and expensive.

In the device of the present invention a modified form of credit is provided through the use of coins to establish a potential credit after the coins are inserted in the machine but before the coins are acted upon by coin control mechanism. In the structure provided, the coin enters a supporting member and'acts as an interponent for the drive of said supporting member by a manually operated selector, which selector is adapted to move a coin through a predetermined path in predetermined steps in accordance-with the unit value of the coin. For instance, if a 5 coin is entered, the selector member is adapted to be moved through 5 unit steps in accordance with desired to condition the machine for the printing of a postage value of 3 on a letter, the selector is advanced three unit positions, which also sets the value printing wheel to the 3 position. After the printing of the 3 value, the 5 coin in the device has a remaining credit of 2. Before the printing cycle has been completed, the value printing wheel will have been returned to its 0 position. Assuming that the mailer has a letter requiring a 2 value impression, the selector will be advanced two unit steps to thus efiect setting of the value printing wheel to the 2 position. After printing of the 2 value, the full credit of the 5 coin will have been exhausted and the coin will be released from its interponent or operating path within the coin control structure. By

. means of such mechanism, an inexpensive credit machine is adapted to be provided.

In addition to the use of a 5 coin, it is also possible to includ 1 coins by means of the mechanism herein provided. That is, both 5 and 1c coins may be used separately or in combination, and their combined values are adapted to be entered in the value printing wheel simultaneously.

While the present disclosure is particularly adapted for the use of 1 and 5 coins, it will be understood that other coin Value combinations may be used.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a postage printing unit with the end wall removed, showing a part of the mechanism used for both coin control and value setting;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of apart of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with parts in section, and includes a portion of the type wheel structure, the coin control and value selection units;

Fig. 3 is a part elevational and part sectional view with the sectional part showing the 1 coin side and taken substantially along the line 3o3a on Fig. 5, and the elevational part showing the 5 coin side and taken substantially alongthe line 3b3b. The position of the coins show a 5c coin in a starting position and a 1 coin blocked in the coin track;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the 5 coin as having been advanced one unit by the selector means, and a M coin as having moved into a starting position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along two different lines, the right hand or 1 coin portion being taken along the line substantially .spewed.see w i n he. e

hand or 5c portion being taken along the line substantially as indicated at 5b5b;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a part of the planetary differential structure of Fig. 5, shown on an enlarged scale, and with a part shown in section.

A printing unit H and coin control unit l2 are supported within .a casing Ill. The printing unit I I comprises a printing drum l3, mounted within suitable bearings, as indicated at M. A drive for said printing drum is provided by means of gears l5 and IS, the gear l5 being secured to a part of the drum as indicated by means of screws IT. The gear I6 is fixed to a drive shaft it, which. is adapted to be either power or manually driven. Inasmuch as the invention relates to the setting of values, no further description of the printing mechanism will be made.

A valve type wheel l9, carried by a shaft 2|, is mounted for rotation within the printing drum l3, and has consecutive numeral type thereon. Setting of said type wheel I9 is adapted to be effected by means of manually controlled selector mechanism when coins are present within a coin controlled unit generally indicated at l2. Before referring to the connections between the type wheel and selector means, the coin controlled units will first be described in detail.

Coins .of differing values, such as 1c and 5c coins, are adapted to be entered in coin slots 22, 23 in the casing l9. Upon passing through said slots, the coins will enter suitable coin detection mechanism indicated generally at 24 and 25, which mechanism may be of any commercial design and which will reject spurious coins. The coin slot 22 and coin detector unit 24 are aligned with a 1 coin control unit generally indicated at 26, while the coin slot 23 and coin detector 25 are aligned with a 503 coin unit 21.

Referring first to the 1 coin unit 26, the same comprises a frame 28 having a circular opening 29 to form a bearing for the support of a settable meinber'or selector wheel 3! A plurality of slots 32 are provided in the selector wheel 3i in alignment with a coin slot 33 in the frame 28. A coin, upon passing through the coin detector 24 and slot 33 will move into one of the slots 32 in the selector wheel 3|, if such slot 32 registers with the coin slot 33. Partitions 34 between the slots 32, are adapted to function as means for driving the coins as indicated in Fig. 4, or are adapted to block the passage of the coin as indicated in Fig. 3.

Adjustment of the selector wheel 3| is adapted to be effected by means of a manually controlled knob 35, which extends above the outer surface of the casing NJ, as shown in Fig. 1, and which is fixed to a shaft 36. Said shaft 36 is suitably mounted in bearings 3'! and has a bevel pinion 38 at the inner end thereof, which pinion meshes with a bevel gear 39 fixed to the selector wheel 3| by pins 49, as best shown in Fig. 5.

Associated with the selector wheel 3| is a coinsupporting disc 4| having pockets 42 therein, which disc is rotatable upon a shaft 43. The shaft 43 supports both the selector Wheel 3| and beveled gear 39, the latter being fixed to said shaft.

A coin upon passing through a coin slot 32 in the selector wheel 3|, will become seated in a coin pocket 42 in the coin disc 4|, and when saidselectorwheel 3| is rotated by means of the :knob 35, the coin will act as an interponent between the selector wheel 3| and coin disc 4| to effect the drive of the coin disc 4|. By means of a detent wheel 44, forming a part of the coin disc 4|, and a spring urged detent 45, the coin disc 4| is adapted to move in evenly spaced steps. As indicated, the detent wheel 44 is provided with twelve teeth, while the selector wheel 3| has six coin receiving slots 32 therein. When the selector wheel 3| is rotated'to move the coin a distance of one unit, the twelve toothed arrangement also times the entrance of the 1 and 5 coins into their respective selector wheels in a staggered order, as will be noted later.

Referring to Fig. 4, a 1 coin is here shown in a starting position within one of the selector wheel slots 32 :and is about to be driven by the selector wheel through one unit of movement, whereupon the coin will be discharged through a suitable discharge slot 46. During said movement the coin disc 4| is rotated a like distance and is adapted to control the setting of the type wheel |9 one unit in a manner to be later described,

Referring now to the 5 coin control unit 21, the same comprises a structure which is similar to that described for the 1 coin unit. Said unit "includes a selector wheel 48, mounted within a circular opening 49, forming a bearing in a supporting frame 5|, and fixed to the shaft 43. A coin disc 52, having pockets 53, is freely rotatable upon said shaft 43. A detent wheel 59 also forms a part of the coin disc 52 and has a spring urged detent member 41 associated therewith.

The 5 coin unit differs from the 1 coin unit in that there is only a single slot 54 provided in the selector wheel 48, the reason being that the 5 coin moves through five unit positions before it is discharged, and to a sixth position before another coin is permitted to enter the 5 selector wheel. As indicated in Fig. 3, the 5 coin will enter the coin slot 54 in the selector wheel 48 from a coin slot 55 in the frame 5|. Said coin will be retained within the coin slot 54 by the surface of opening 49 for the distance of five unit positions, the first position of which is indicated in Fig. 4, and thus will not be discharged until it reaches the discharged slot 55.

The 1c and 5c coin units are adapted to be actuated either individually or simultaneously when the shaft 43 is rotated by means of the selector control knob 35. To provide the simultaneous operation, planetary differential means is included, between the 1c and 593 coin units, as generaly indicated at 51.

Said planetary differential structure comprises a sun gear 58, fixed to the coin disc 4!, and a sun gear 59 fixed to the coin disc 52. Between said sun gears 58 and 59, a resultant gear 5| is mounted and is adapted to rotate freely about the shaft 43. Within said resultant gear is mounted a shaft 52 carrying a planetary gear 63, which gear is adapted to mesh with the sun gear .58. Also within said resultant gear is another shaft 34 having :a planetarygear fixed to one end thereof, which gear :meshes with the sun gear 59. A gear 66 fixed to the other end of said shaft 64 meshes with the planetary gear 63. When either coin disc 4| or 52 is driven, an associated sun gear 58 or 59 will be moved therewith, which in turn will effect the drive of an associated planetary gear 53 or 65 respectively. Rotation of either planetary gear 63 or 65 will cause same to revolve "about their respective sun gears, thus effecting rotation of the resultant gear 6| in accordance with the planetary movement of said planetary gears.

When the coin discs 4i and 52 are rotated simultaneously, one planetary gear will move at twice the speed of the other, thus effecting a greater movement of the resultant gear 6! to provide for the combined accumulation of two unit values, one for each coin.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the coins do not enter the pockets in their respective coin discs simultaneously but are arranged so that the coin of one denomination will be held out when the coin of the other denomination is entering the coin pocket. In Fig. 3 the 5 coin is entering a coin pocket in the coin disc 52 while the 1:: coin is blocked by the partition 34. Any one coin may enter its respective coin disc at alter nate step positions of the detent wheels, and one complete unit of movement of a coin will equal two steps of movement of the detent wheel.

A drive is provided between the resultant gear El and type wheel 19, which drive is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and includes a gear 61 meshing with the resultant gear 6!, and a gear 69, each of said gears 61 and 68 being fixed to a shaft 63 suitably supported within the casing Iii. The gear 69 meshes with a gear H freely mounted on a shaft 12, which gear ll also has a gear 13 fixed thereto as indicated at '54. By means of a coupler pinion '55, a drive is adapted to be eflected between the gear 13 and a gear 16, which latter gear is also freely mounted on the shaft 12. A sleeve 77, also freely rotatable upon the shaft 72, and. fixed to the gear at 18, is adapted to move with the gear 16. the end of said sleeve l7 meshes with a gear 8!, which latter gear is fixed to the value type wheel I 9.

When coins are contained in the coin slots 33 or 55, and rotation of the selector knob is effected, movement of both of the selector wheels 3! and 48 will be effected, and the coin discs 4i and 52 will be rotated accordingly, thus effecting rotation of the differential unit, including the resultant gear 6!. From said resultant gear 6! the drive will continue through gears 61, 69, H and gear 13 to the coupler gear 15, then through gear l6, sleeve 71, and gears 79 and 8!, to effect the drive of the printing wheel l9.

After the printing wheel i9 is set to the value which it is desired to print, the drum 5 l is adapted to be rotated through rotation of a power or manual driven shaft i8, also, gears l6 and 55.

Before actual rotation is eifected, however, means (not shown) is provided whereby the coupler pinion 15 is removed from coupling engagement with the gears 13 and 16.

Also during the printing cycle of operation, and after printing has been completed, resetting of the printing wheel to 0 is adapted to be effected when a tooth 82 on a diametrically opposed two toothed gear 83, moves into engagement with the hooked end 84 of a lever 85. Said hooked end 84 moves into the path of the tooth 82 which was originally in the lowermost or 6 o'clock position, when lever 85 is cammed downward through the camming action of cam 85 against a roller 81, on a lever 88. When said tooth 82 engages the hooked end 84, the gear 83 and gear 19 will stop. Then through the continued rotation of the printing drum H, the gear 8| will revolve while moving around the gear 79 to thereby reset the printing wheel to 0. This A gear 19 fixed to 6 latter structure is generally known and is believed to need no further description.

When setting a value in the type wheel, it is desirable to provide means to indicate the value which is set up. For this purpose an indicator wheel is provided which has consecutive numeral values thereon agreeing with the values on the printing wheel I9. Said indicator wheel 90 is carried by a shaft 9| mounted in a bracket 92, and has a gear 93 fixed thereto. The gear 93 meshes with the previously mentioned gear 15. Through a suitable window opening 94 the value may be read which agrees with the value set in the printing wheel.

Having described the invention, What is claimed 1. A multiple coin controlled drive, coin mechanism including a driver and a driven member conditioned for operation when a coin of one denomination is present therein, coin mechanism including a driver and a driven member conditioned for operation when a coin of another denomination is present therein, a common drive for both driver members, and differential means connected with the driven members of said coin mechanism for simultaneous or independent operation when the drive is actuated.

2. A multiple coin controlled drive, rotary coin mechanism including a driver and a driven member conditioned for operation when a coin of one denomination is present therein, rotary coin mechanism including a driver and a driven member conditioned for operation when a coin of anotherdenomination is present therein, a com mon drive for both driver members, and differential means connected with the driven members of said coin mechanism for simultaneous or independent operation when the drive is actuated.

3. A multiple coin controlled drive, a coin disc adapted to receive coins of one denomination, a coin disc adapted to receive a coin of another denomination, "a common manual selection drive operable to effect the drive of said coin discs when coins are present, detent means associated with each of said coin discs to eficct a step by step motion of the coin discs when rotated, and being intermittently operable in steps which measure the cent values of the coins, whereby the subtraction of cent unit values from the coins is readily discernable by the operator, and differential mechanism connected with each of the coin discs, whereby cent values from either one or from each of said coins may be taken individually or simultaneously in any desired amount within the total cent value of the coin or coins while contained within the coin discs when the manual selection drive is operated.

LINDEN A. THATCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

